Sue Sylvester-Bradley and Helen Smith accompanied by Ken Ireland
on the (electric) pianoforte provided the evening's entertainment with a superb
recital selection of wonderful songs from (approximately) the Victorian
Era. They also led the mere mortals of
assembled diners in a popular sing-along. The songs shown below are the ones
that were sung. The background music to this page is 'My Only sunshine' and on
the previous page it was 'Forever Blowing Bubbles'

Forever Blowing Bubbles {from
about the time of WWI}

I'm forever blowing bubbles,
pretty
bubbles in the air
They fly so high, nearly reach the sky,
then like my dreams they fade and die.
Fortunes always hiding I've looked everywhere
I'm forever blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air.

_____________

You Are My Sunshine

The other night dear, as I lay sleeping,
I dreamed I held you in my arms,
but when I woke dear, I was mistaken,
and I hung my head and cried.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy when skies are gray
you'll never know dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.

I'll always love you and make you happy
if you will only say the same
but if you leave me to love another
you'll regret it all some day

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy, when skies are gray,
you'll never know dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.

You told me once dear you really loved me
that no one else could come between
but now you've left me and love another
you have shattered all my dreams.

You are my sunshine, my only
sunshine
you make me happy, when skies are gray,
you'll never know dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.

If you can hear the music then
you are listening to a version recorded in 1931
by (Governor) Jimmie Davis

_____________

Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside

Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside
I do like to be beside the sea!
I do like to stroll upon the Prom, Prom, Prom!
Where the brass bands play:
"Tiddely-om-pom-pom!"
So just let me be beside the seaside
I'll be beside myself with glee
And there's lots of girls beside,
I should like to be beside
Beside the seaside!
Beside the sea!

"I do like to be beside the seaside" was composed in
1907 and first made famous by music hall artiste Mark Sheridan in the 1920s. It
became a perennial favourite of holidaymakers, not least because it was almost
the signature tune of Reginald Dixon MBE who entertained holiday crowds on the
mighty Wurlitzer organ at Blackpool Tower Ballroom for 40 years between 1930 and
1970.

_____________

All the nice girls love a sailor

When the man-'o-war or merchant ship,
Comes sailing into port,
The jolly tar with joy,
Will sing out "Land ahoy!"
With his pockets full of money,
And a parrot in a cage,
He smiles at all the pretty girls,
Upon the landing stage.

All the nice girls love a sailor, all the nice girls love a tar.
'Cause there's something about a sailor,
Well, you know what sailors are.
Bright and breezy, free and easy,
He's the ladies' pride and joy.
He's been up our Lady Jane, and he's going up again,
Ship ahoy, sailor boy

I'm in a nice bit of trouble, I confess;
Somebody with me has had a game.
I should by now be a proud and happy bride,
But I've still got to keep my single name.
I was proposed to by Obadiah Binks
In a very gentlemanly way;
Lent him all my money
So that he could buy a home,
And punctually at twelve o'clock to-day-

Chorus:
There was I, waiting at the church,
Waiting at the church, waiting at the church;
When I found he'd left me in the lurch.
Lor, how it did upset me!
All at once, he sent me round a note
Here's the very note, this is what he wrote:
"Can't get away to marry you today,
My wife, won't let me!"

Lor, what a fuss Obadiah made of me
When he used to take me in the park!
He used to squeeze me
till I was black and blue,
When he kissed me he used to leave a mark.
Each time he met me he treated me to port,
Took me now and then to see the play;
Understand me rightly, When I say he treated me,

It wasn't him but me that used to pay.

Just think how disappointed I must feel,
I'll be off me crumpet very soon.
I've lost my husband - the one I never had!
And I dreamed so about the honeymoon.
I'm looking out for another Obadiah,
I've already bought the wedding ring,
There's all my little fal-the-riddles
Packed up in my box
Yes, absolutely two of ev'rything.

The Rev WB Wilder
outside Great Bradley Church

_____________

Any Old Iron

Any old iron, any old iron
Any any any old iron
You look sweet, talk about a treat
Your lookin' dapper from your napper to your feet
Dressed in style, brand new tile
Your fathers old green tie on
But wouldn't giver you tuppence for your old watch back
Old iron, old iron
_____________

My Old Man

Melody - Charles Collins & Fred W. Leigh

We had to move away
'Cos the rent we couldn't pay.
The moving van came round just after dark.
There was me and my old man,
Shoving things inside the van,
Which we'd often done before, let me remark.
We packed all that could be packed
In the van, and that's a fact.
And we got inside all that we could get inside.
Then we packed all we could pack
On the tailboard at the back,
Till there wasn't any room for me to ride.

Refrain:
My old man said: "Foller the van,
And don't dilly-dally on the way".
Off went the van wiv me 'ome packed in it.
I walked be'ind wiv me old cock linnet.
But I dillied and dallied,
Dallied and dillied;
Lost me way and don't know where to roam.
And you can't trust a "Special"
Like the old-time copper
When you can't find your way home.

I gave a helping hand
With the marble wash hand-stand,
And straight, we wasn't getting on so bad.
All at once, the car-man bloke
Had an accident and broke,
Well, the nicest bit of china that we had.
You'll understand, of course,
I was cross about the loss.
Same as any other human woman would.
But I soon got over that,
What with "two out" and a chat,
'Cos it's little things like that what does you good.
Refrain:

Oh! I'm in such a mess.
I don't know the new address -
Don't even know the blessed neighbourhood.
And I feel as if I might
Have to stay out here all night.
And that ain't a goin' to do me any good.
I don't make no complaint
But I'm coming over faint,
What I want now's a good substantial feed,
And I sort 'o kind 'o feel,
If I don't soon have a meal,
I shall have to rob the linnet of its seed!
Refrain: